Garment joint



, May 14, 1957 M. R. SCHUBERT GARMENT JOINT Filed March 15, 1954 INVENTQR @4444 K Sow/5.967

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ATTORNEYS GNT JOINT Minna R. Schubert, Saginaw, Mich, assignor to LeMonde Corset Company, Saginaw, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Application li lmeh 15, 1954, Serial No. 416,275

1 tClaim. (Cl. 2-30) The present invention relates to a foundation garment joint and more particularly to the rear liaison between brassiere top and foundation garment lower portion.

Makers of foundation garments have for many years been attempting to provide in their garments greater wearer comfort and support. These objectives are constantly operating at cross purposes. If comfort is emphasized support in the garment suffers. If support is emphasized comfort suffers. Happily, newer developments in fabrics and newer developments in light-weight stays have permitted a dual approach in garment construction which simultaneously attack the two principal problems. Few structural innovations have occurred and aside from materials, little change can be noted between the foundation garments of today and the garments of a generation past.

Where maximum support is required a full length garment is necessary which includes a brassiere top attached to the torso molding lower portion which girdles the waist and hips. Since normally the stomach, diaphragm and rib cage areas of the human body require the most support the attachment of the brassiere portion to the front of the girdle portion supplements support of the diaphragm. It has been the practice of garment makers to carry this attachment of brassiere to garment fully around the garment. Such garments are known to the trade as one piece foundations.

The modern woman has rebelled against the one piece garment because of the less in case of movement when the brassiere is attached to the girdle portion of the garment. Flexure of the body occasions binding of the breasts by reason of the stresses in the buttock region of the garment which are transmitted through the garment and into the rear part of the brassiere pulling the rib cage portion of the garment downwardly. The brassiere is thus shifted out of position or the girdle portion is elevated in the rear. The dificulty outlined has reflected itself in a fashion objection to one piece garments since satisfactory uplift brassieres are unobtainable in the one piece garment unless the wearer resigns herself to a rigidly erect position.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a joint between the girdle portion and the brassiere portion of a foundation garment which permits flexure of the body without causing distortion in the positioning of the brassiere.

It is a further object to so position the joint on the anatomy of the wearer that a flesh bulge cannot occur while providing maximum frontal support in the diaphragm area of the body.

It is another object to provide a one piece garment in which the advantage of independent brassiere adjustment is obtained without upsetting the adjustment of other portions of the garment.

It is another object to provide additional structural comfort for the wearer of foundation garments where the brassiere portion is desired to be secured to the girdle portion.

2,791,773 Patented May 14,1957

Another object is to simplify the construction of one piece garments while permitting the more beneficial use of form flattering brassiere portions.

Other'objects and advantages of the construction of garments in accord with this invention will become increasingly apparent to those skilled in the art as the description proceeds.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation view of a garment upon a cut-away erect model indicating a one piece garment having a garment joint between the brassiere elements and the girdle elements.

Figure 2 is a side elevation as in Fig. 1 but showing the flexing of the one piece garment and the operation of the garment joint.

Figure 3 is a rear view of a one piece garment in accord with the invention as worn by a model in the erect position.

Figure 4 is a rear perspective view of a garment in accord with this invention and showing the flexure of the garment under bending as well as torsional move ment on the part of the wearer.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, a one piece garment 11 is illustrated provided with a brassiere top portion 12 and connected girdle portion 13. The particular design of either the brassiere cups 14 or the girdle portion 13 is immaterial except insofar as there is provided, between the rear brassiere connecting elements 15 and 16 and the upper rear peripheral binding 17 of the girdle, an opening or aperture 1% dimensionally capable of maintaining bust support while being independent in movement from the girdle portion 13 and more particularly free from the rear vertical and torsional stresses developed consequent to the physical movement of the wearer. By comparison of the erect position of the model in Fig. 1 with the flexed positions of the model in Figs. 2 and 4 it is readily illustrated that the garment joint between brassiere portion 12 and girdle portion 13 permits a cooperation of elements in the brassiere components so as to coordinate rib cage support of the wearers figure while allowing maximum freedom of flexure without interference with the balance of either the girdle portion 13 or the brassiere top 12.

It will be noted in the above connection that an operative uplift cup brassire is not only possible but practical in such a structure since the torsional and rear tensional effects are not transmitted to the brassiere to cause misalignment and flattening or cumulative looseness in the bust areas.

While the brassiere cups 14 are non-inventive they are illustrated to place the structure in an operative setting. Side plates or panels 15, of a tension transmitting character, either resilient or nonresilient as desired, are attached to the cups 14 and brassiere 12 in a binding 19 which vertically connects the side plates or panels 15 to the frontal bust portion of the brassiere 12. The upper peripheral binding 24) of the plates or panels 15 are contoured to merge flowingly with the upper binding 21 of the brassiere 12. The binding 20 and the plates or panels 15 continue around the garment 11 partially encircling the anatomy between armpit and waist and are contoured to fall slightly beneath the shoulder blade in the rear. The lower lateral binding 22 of the plates or panels 15 secures the plate or panel sections 15 to the girdle portion 13 partially around the waist of the anatomy but stopping short of extending the attachment intovertical character: Thus itwill be seen that the elastic member-16-connects the-plates or panels-15 and completes the brassiere encirclement of the rib cage portion of the female body without beingconnected to the girdle 13' in the rear and leaving a-polygonal opening lfi'where normally a juncture between brassiere support and girdle occurs.

The shoulder straps 25are connected to thebinding 20-and may or may'not be adjustable as desired. The

notched binding 26 in the plates or panels 15' continues a natural arch across the back of the wearer, as best illustrated in Fig. 3, and joins the vertical binding 24 where the vertical binding 24 achieves uppermostattachmentto the elastic member 16.

Since the plates or panels 15 are identical but symmetrically and oppositely positioned, the reference characters have been repeated as toboth left and right. This will facilitate description and simplify a complete understanding of the invention. Wherever directional designations are or have been applied it will be understood that upper" means in relation to the normal upright position of the garment on the wearer and lower means in relation to the normal upright position of-the garment on the wearer. Front" has reference to the bust side of the garment and rear has reference to the buttock side of the garment.

Appropriate closure means such as a'zipper for the girdle portion 13 and adjustable hooks and eyes for the brassiere portion 12 are conveniently provided on the garment. The most satisfactory position for the closure has been found to be along the vertical binding w, although it will be understood that satisfactory garment closure means may be located elsewhere without a departure from the spirit of this invention. It is contemplated that'garments having only a single closure for the brassiere and having the opening'18 will be satisfactory and such a closure arrangement is intended to be included in the spirit of this invention. Likewise garments having no closures but being fully resilient and utilizing the advantages of the opening 18 are intended to be included in the scope of the present invention.

It will be observed thatthe members 16, 1S and 17 define a polygonal opening 18 across the back of the wearer located slightly above the waist of the wearer and extending substantially across the back of the wearer along the binding 17 and being substantially narrower across the elastic element 16. it will be understood that the dimensions of the opening or gap 18 may be varied somewhat by the elevation of the waist of the corset portion-i3 and modification of the side plates or panels 15 arment may be adjusted to is contemplated so that the a predetermined figure for greatest styling and comfort. The positioning of the opening 18 in the lower midback and above the waist of the wearer, but below the lowermost point of the shoulder blade of the wearer, substantially avoids difficulty which might otherwise be encountered by the phenomena known to the trade as peripheral flesh bulge. Where the terminal-portions of a garment are located in an area of fatty flesh the tendency of the flesh is to form a bulge or roll which is impossible to control because the garment doesnot extend to compact the fiesh. By locating the opening 18 above the Waist of the wearer and in an area of the anatomy where loose fiesh is rare, no bulge of the flesh is normally apparent through the gap 18.

The character of the plates or panels 15 transmits the support tensions ofthe elastic member peripherally to the rib cage and front diaphragm area so that the brassiere 12 is unhampered by the movement of the wearer. Thus, eifective'torso control is obtained in a one piece" garment 11 with the attendant comfort and ease of flexure obtainable heretofore only in two piece garments.

In operation, Figs. 2 and 4 should be compared with Fig. 1 to illustrate the independent floating character of the brassiere support at the back of the garment by reason of the garment joint described. When the wearer bends forward as in Fig. 2 the rear of the girdle portion 13 is not elevated with the tendency of the brassiere back to move upwardly. Neither is the brassiere 12 dragged downwardly by the girdle 13. The opening 13 by reason of the elastic element 16 is permitted expansion without drag on the rear part of the girdle 13. As the brassiere portion 12 moves upwardly or expands with the movement of'the wearer the additional tension developed in the elastic portion 16 is transmitted through the plates or panels 15 applying rib cage support to the diaphragm areas of the wearer and to the bust supporting portions of the garment.

In Fig. 4 the effect of torsional stresses have been illustrated by the positioning of the modeled garment and it will be'seen that the elastic member 16 adjusts itself, and consequently the opening 13, without causing drag upon the girdle portion 13. As in Fig. 2 it will be seen that frontal figure control is not neglected because of the inter-relationship of the plates or panels 15 and the clastic element 16 in peripherally transmitting the stresses developed at the rear of the garment 11 to the frontal portions of the garment and in particular giving excellent diaphragm support."

The present invention of a garment joint thus makes possible the freedomof a two piece garment with'the'support characteristics of a one piece garment while eliminating'the problem of brassiere adjustment and girdle drag, By stabilizing the brassiere 12 independently of the rear portion of the girdle 13, greater styling can be incorporated into the brassieres of one piece garments.

While the description has been directed to a particular garment joint it will be understood that modifications as to materials used and modifications in the shape of the opening 18 and rear members 15 and 16 are contemplated and it is the intention that such modifications fall Within the spirit of the present inventionas defined by the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

In a one piece body encircling foundation garment structure, the combination including: a girdle portion; a brassiere portion fixedly attached at the lower terminal edge thereof to the upper terminal edge of said girdle portion; side panels fixedly joined at the forward side edges thereof to the side edges of said brassiere portion, said side panels fixedly joined at the lower terminal edges thereof to. the upper terminal edge of said girdle portion; elastic joining means connecting said side panels, said'elastic joining means positioned in spaced-apart relationship to the rear upper terminal edge of said girdle portion; said girdle portion, said brassiere portion, said side panels, andsaid elastic joining means fixedly joined to provide a unitary. support structure and defining a torsion-equalizing rectilinear opening at the upper rear portion thereof.

References Cited in-the file of this patent UNTTED STATES PATENTS 1,595,576 Scognamillo Aug. 10, 1926 2,010,592 Hollar Aug. 6, 1935 2,464,093 Lo C-ascio Mar. 8, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 320,559 Great Britain Oct. 17, 1929 623,929 Australia May 25, 1949 

